“Sarah, are you okay?” Frank’s voice seemed to come from far away.
She strained her eyes to catch a glimpse of him, but she couldn’t think further than the piercing pain. “Get it off me, Frank!” She met Jules’s gaze as she desperately tugged at the ring, trying to slide it off her finger. It looked like she was going to need a whole tub of butter or a pan of grease to get the jewelry off. It was stuck, as if it had been cemented to her finger permanently. “Why is it hurting me?” she asked. “And why won’t it come off?”
“I-I don’t know,” Jules said, his eyes wide.
Sarah bit her lip, refusing to cry out as the shape-shifter twisted her wrist. Her trembling calmed some when she saw his arrogant grin falter. As his black gaze fell on the ruby ring on her finger, she heard him mutter with astonishment, “You wear the mark of the Immortals! You...you are an Immortal?” It was like a magnet, drawing him in.
The pain left Sarah’s hand as quickly as it came. Stunned, she shoved her hand toward him. “If you can get it off, it’s all yours—as long as you let us go on our merry way.”
“But that’s our key!” Frank said.
Jumping to her feet, she shot him a glare. “What good is a key if we’re dead?”
The shape-shifter thrust her hand upward, jerking her off balance and causing her to fall against his sturdy chest. Black feathers from his outfit swept across her cheek. He yelled to his people, “She wears the mark of the Immortals!”
Gasps and murmurs erupted as shock registered on every face.
Sarah held her breath, wondering what that yell might imply. They might decide to try and kill her any moment.
His gaze locked on her for a moment, impenetrable and blank, just as guarded as his attitude. Then he bowed, and the hundreds of others scattered about the woods followed suit.
Sarah’s mouth dropped. This must be what it’s like to be royalty...but I’m not. She wasn’t keen on all the attention either. “Let’s not make a big fuss. Please rise.”
The shape-shifter scrambled to his feet. “Oh, Highness, I beg your forgiveness and understanding. If I’d have killed you, I would’ve brought the entire wrath of the Immortal world down on my head. Which tribe do you belong to?”
Sarah glanced at Frank, and he gave her the look to play along. “King Victor Fesque is...he’s my husband.” Husband. Even still, the words sounded awkward coming out of her mouth.
The woman gasped. “Fesque? He’s next in line to take over the Cardashian Court once King Taggert dies...and that won’t be long now.”
The wolf man’s eyes widened as full-blown acknowledgement registered on his face. “You are married to one of the most powerful men in our world, and I must respect your position as such. My name is Titano, and this is my wife Lana.”
Sarah smiled. “It is such an honor to meet both of you.”
The woman eyed Sarah up and down, focusing on the ring on Sarah’s finger as though she doubted its meaning. Eventually, she nodded, though it was clear she was still unconvinced. “If she is what she says she is, we can’t afford any trouble with Victor. The Cardashian Court will stop at nothing to avenge her if she is truly his bride. Besides, the rules don’t apply to her, as they are only meant for regular humans. Titano, we have no choice other than to spare her life.”
The man nodded, his gaze focused on Sarah. “I don’t need to start a war with the Immortals with your blood on my hands. My Queen, I am happy to offer you the safe passage you have requested.”
“And my friends?”
He didn’t even blink. “I am afraid they are still marked for death.”
A cold chill ran down her spine. No! She couldn’t lose Frank and Jules. She decided that if they were going to force her to play the part of the queen, she was going to use it to her advantage. It was time for another Oscar-worthy performance. “That is unacceptable, Titano. I will not have my loyal servants slaughtered and devoured before my very eyes.”
“Are you forcing my hand, my Queen?” asked Titano.
“I am.” She met his gaze, narrowing her eyes in anger, hoping he wouldn’t see through her. “If you harm one hair on their heads, I shall send my husband back here, and he will come with vengeance and his wife’s rage to motivate him. I assure you, shape-shifter, that it will not be pretty if he has to go to those measures because of your disobedience to my direct commands.”
Lana grabbed her husband’s arm, her black eyes wide. “King Victor isn’t an Immortal we can afford to anger, Titano. Just let them go! They are not worth the casualties of the war he will wage if these servants have a special bond with him as well.”
“Yeah,” said Frank, sounding far too twenty-first century. “King Victor and I go way back.”
The man looked at Frank, then at Jules, and finally at Sarah. “My wife has spoken wisely. You may go—all of you.” He picked up the tranquilizer gun and handed it back to Frank. “Take your weapon with you. We have no need of it, for we are well capable of defending ourselves and our land.”
“Thank you. Your wisdom and obedience are to be commended.” Sarah took a few slow steps back, then quickly jumped on the back of the wagon and crawled into the cubbyhole with Frank right behind her. She peeked out and watched as Jules climbed onto the high wagon seat and whistled to the horses. He pulled the reins, and once again, they were trotting, bouncing, and jerking their way through the bumpy forest terrain. This time, though, they were escorted by hundreds of wolves, perhaps thousands, running and darting through the trees.
Streams of sunlight glistened through the branches and leaves as Jules crossed the border of the woods into a huge meadow. The wolves no longer followed; instead, they sat like trained dogs at the edge of the tree line.
Sarah’s stomach churned, and bile threatened to erupt at any moment. She’d known all along that Victor wasn’t just a regular kind of husband, and that had been acceptable because she didn’t want him, didn’t want the kind of life he offered. But as the lucky trio left the cursed forest behind, something else dawned on her. Even though he wasn’t technically part of her life because their marriage was a scam, he still held power over her life. The shape-shifters had let them go only because they feared Victor’s wrath. It defied all logic, and she had to admit that maybe the whole Immortal part wasn’t a figment of everyone else’s imagination. Maybe I do share a bond with him that everyone here truly fears—and maybe that’s exactly what I need to find my sister and get us out of this crazy place. Then again, maybe I am crazy and am just dreaming the whole thing up. Bring the royal meds, please!
* * *
A cool breeze blew through the haystacks as Jules steered the horses through the open field to the next town. “Frank!” Sarah called.
He didn’t reply.
She poked him in the ribs. “What’s wrong with you?”
He turned, a frown crossing his forehead.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
He shook his head. “I just watched a wolf change into a man right before my eyes. I guess I’m a little freaked out. Who wouldn’t be, given the situation? I’m trying to hold it together for you, but just don’t expect my undying enthusiasm at our prospects anytime soon.”
She opened her mouth to speak, but he cut her off.
“No, don’t even try to explain this whole mess, because you know you can’t. Let’s just figure out a way to find your sister and get the hell out of here.”
“Forget the pack of wolves. I have a feeling we’ll soon have bigger problems than a bunch of weird people howling at the moon. For starters, we’re a million miles away from the portal—not to mention I’m a runaway queen, and there’s a dangerous man after us.” Her chest heaved with each breath. “If Victor’s men catch us, we’re dead. Frank, we can’t afford to waste time whining or feeling sorry for ourselves. We have to stay focused here. If we don’t make it, it’ll only be because you’re sending off those fear-vibes. Even a mouse could pick those up from a mile away, and the mice are probably telepath
ic here too.”
“The king’s guys are not going to catch us,” Frank retorted. “All we have to do is stay one step ahead of him.”
“He’s an Immortal, Frank,” she said. “We, on the other hand, are not.”
He reached for her hands, forcing her to face him. “You don’t believe that bull, do you? Nobody lives forever, Sarah.”
“I thought it was all a joke too...” She pointed at the forest. “...until I saw them. They said I have the mark of the Immortals. This ring belongs to them, not us, and we stole it. It’s grand theft jewelry, Frank, and I doubt they live by the fair trial rule. In fact, I’m sure they’re quite okay with cruel and unusual punishment.”
“Big dungeon time, huh?” Frank winked, amused.
Sarah shook her head. A few wolf people had him running for the hills, but the psychic bond she was beginning to feel with the king was beyond his rational comprehension. “Try execution, medieval style. We didn’t just steal it from anybody, like a local merchant or something. We had to involve the local mob boss, the freaking godfather.”
Frank glanced down at her finger. “We’ll give it back as soon as we use it to open the portal. Heck, we can even leave a note. What’s so special about it anyway? It looks pretty, uh...gaudy and normal, like something out of a thrift store or Halloween costume shop.”
Sarah twisted a strand of hair around her finger, biting her lip as she considered her words. Frank was freaked out already, but he had a right to know. “There’s nothing normal about it, in spite of its looks. When Victor slipped it on my finger, I felt a weird electricity racing through me.”
“Maybe just cold feet?”
“What?” She peered at him, confused.
“You know...cold feet because you were getting married.”
She rolled her eyes. “Frank, can you be serious for just one minute? I honestly don’t want to wear anything that belongs to somebody who’s not human. Maybe you can keep it safe for us. Just let me get it off.”
He nodded. “I’ll put it in my pocket.”
She tugged, eager to slide it down her finger, but like before, it wouldn’t budge. “Shoot! I still can’t get it off!”
“Are you sure? Let me try,” Frank said. When she held out her hand, he pulled hard. “Nope. A little butter might do the trick. It’s been around since biblical times.”
“Get it off me, Frank!” She stuck her finger in her mouth, biting the band and pulling. “It’s not working. This darned thing almost burned my hand off back there!”
“I thought you were just pretending, stalling for time.”
“Nope,” she whispered. “That was real.”
He gripped the band and started tugging again, harder this time. “Geesh. Didn’t the king bother having it sized first? How the heck did he even manage to fit it over your knuckle to put it on you?”
“Aren’t you hilarious?” She slapped his arm.
“I’m serious, Sarah. You could die from a blood clot.”
Wait...could that really happen? She regarded him, taking in the creased skin around his eyes, as dark as pools.
“Calm down. I’m only joking,” Frank continued. “Leave it on for now, and we’ll worry about it when we reach the next town. Hopefully it won’t start burning your finger again.”
“It’s just so...so weird, Frank.” Her heart pounded in her chest as she turned to face him, realization dawning on her. “Do you think he’ll find out the truth?”
“You mean that you’re not who he thinks you are? You tried to tell him, but he wouldn’t listen. He didn’t give you much choice, did he?”
“I guess not.” Sarah crawled out of their hole and climbed on top of one of the haystacks. She pondered as the wind whipped through her hair and the sun beat down on her face. The horses neighed, making her jump as the wagon ploughed through a meadow of purple and yellow wildflowers. The sweet scent drifted all around her.
“Even if he does find out, he won’t know where we are.” Frank shook his head. “I’m not scared of him.”
“Those shape-shifters were! They sure didn’t want to piss him off, and I’m sure they must have good reasons. Even if we escape from here, maybe Victor can follow us through the portal. He has the key to open it up.” She threw her hands in the air. “This crap might follow us right back home and bite us in the butt!”
“He only married you because he wants to make Princess Gloria’s dad pay. When he finds out you’re not the king’s daughter, he’ll realize his plan’s been foiled. His revenge game plan of tainting the pure bloodline won’t work, because you’re not Princess Gloria. He will have no reason to waste his time and risk his men’s health coming after us through the portal.”
She glanced down and wiggled her finger. “I have his mark glued on my finger for all of eternity.”
Frank rolled his eyes. “You’re getting a little extreme, babe.”
The soft glow of morning light cast a brilliant shimmer on the blossoming trees. A strong scent of manure wafted past as the wagon raced through the meadow. One good bump, and she’d go flying over the pane, but she didn’t care. All Sarah wanted at that moment was answers. She sat up, her back straight, as she hung on to the haystacks for dear life. “Hey, Jules, what do you know about this ring?”
He steered the reins and glanced over his shoulder. “Not much—just that the Immortals are only allowed to marry once in their lifetime, and when they do, they’re given the ancient ruby ring.”
“Why would Victor waste his only shot at marriage on a stranger he doesn’t love, one he thinks is the daughter of his archenemy?” Frank asked, pulling himself on top of a haystack next to her.
“I told you earlier,” Sarah said. “It’s about revenge. He wanted me to have a whole herd of his babies—to mess up the pure bloodline in their family. Bloodline’s a big deal with these royal types.”
Frank nodded. “I know, but it seems like there’s more to it than that. If this Victor’s an Immortal, how can he have kids?”
“They can,” Jules said through the pounding hooves.
“That’s hard to wrap my mind around,” Frank said.
“Does this ruby hold any sort of power?” Sarah asked. She twisted her finger to catch the sunlight at just the right angles, watching the gemstone reflect the bright rays.
“I don’t know,” Jules said, “but the wearers have some kind of psychic connection.”
She knew how ridiculous it was to believe in psychic powers captured in a ring, but she had also never seen a ring that just wouldn’t come off, no matter how hard she tugged or tortured her finger. She’d also never heard of shape-shifting wolves before. She was beginning to think anything and everything was possible in this strange new—or old—world. Leaning forward, interested, Sarah cocked a brow. “What does that connection do?”
Jules shook his head.
Boy, he’s not much help, is he? They can manufacture magic rings around here but can’t invent Google so I can look all this up? Hmm. “You said all the Immortals receive a ring like this,” Sarah continued. “Can a human even wear one?”
Jules hesitated. “I’m not sure how it works. The Immortals are very private. They live in a secretive world, following their own set of rules. I do know that every country in our world is under the rule of King Taggert, who resides over the Cardashian Court. I also know that King Victor is rumored to be next in line to rule when King Taggert dies. The king is dying, so it won’t be long before Victor takes the mightiest throne.”
Sarah blew out a breath. “Yeah, that was what those shape-shifters said.”
“Well, it’s no surprise King Taggert chose King Victor.”
“Why not? Isn’t there anyone else?”
“Victor is one of the oldest and strongest men in our world. He’s very powerful, rules with an iron fist, and is feared by all.”
“Yet you risk your life and face his wrath for us?” Frank asked.
“I’ll do anything for Mia,” Jules said, his gaze focused
on the road ahead. “I love her.”
“Wait...did you just say Victor’s one of the oldest? How old is the guy?”
“I’ve no idea,” Jules said. “Maybe centuries.”
Just my luck again, Sarah thought. Not only am I married to a psycho, stuck with his weird magic ring, but he’s an old man with one foot inside the grave, and he just won’t ever die. Victor had captured and kidnapped Sarah in broad daylight, but still, she had to ask, “Are the Immortals like vampires or something? I need to know if Victor plans on biting me. Am I gonna start sparkling in the sun, sport some new fangs, and making blood my new choice of drink?”
Jules laughed, looking a bit confused. “Fangs? No, no, nothing like that—at least not that I’ve heard.”
Sarah pressed a hand against her chest. “Thank goodness!”
“In most regards, the Immortals are just like us,” continued Jules. “They eat, sleep, laugh, and cry. The only difference is that thousands of years ago, they somehow tapped into the power of immortality. According to legend, they took over every country in our world and have ruled with an iron fist ever since.”
“Do the Immortals have any, uh...superpowers?” Frank asked.
“Yeah, and they can do weird things with their minds, like make somebody see visions or—”
“I had one of those! I saw the king’s knights and horses before they got near us,” Sarah said, her voice rising an octave. “I very vividly saw them coming, and I even heard Victor’s voice. I think this is...for real.”
Frank shook his head. “I know you’ve mentioned it a million times, but I find the notion of an Immortal king chasing us a little hard to swallow.”
“Think about it, Frank. We’re not in our world anymore. Things are different here. We have to open up our minds to the unexplainable, which I know is a big leap for you.” Glancing down, she whispered, “I’m just wondering how a human like me managed to put on their magic ruby ring in the first place without bursting into flames or something.”
Immortal Dreams Page 35